Assassinatrix10
7:33:45 PM Canto: So you guys had hit the small town with the reported zombie issue. 7:34:11 PM Crow: Crow is ready! 7:36:21 PM Canto: Her vampire wound was healing in record time 7:37:18 PM Crow: Crow was glad! 7:37:59 PM Canto: Like, freakily record time. 7:38:16 PM Canto: But no time for that, there are zombies to fight! 7:38:34 PM Canto: Felix stops the RV in the middle of the road. "huh. I think we have the right place." 7:40:44 PM Crow: Yeah? 7:41:12 PM Canto: Felix points out the window, indicating the zombie crossing the road! 7:41:45 PM Crow: Woah, zombie! 7:41:53 PM Crow: Like... there's no chance they might still be alive in there, is there? 7:46:36 PM Canto: Felix: Well, no. Not that one, anyway. 7:46:52 PM Canto: The zombie in question is half-rotted! Looks like he was buried for awhile. 7:48:06 PM Crow: Any of them, though? 7:49:32 PM Canto: Jasper: No. These aren't virus victims, they're animated corpses. 7:50:03 PM Crow: Oh, good. ... well not good. 7:52:07 PM Canto: Ruby: Kind of good. Not a lot of a guilt here. 7:53:39 PM Crow: True! 7:54:24 PM Canto: Jasper: Well, except for the human remains thing. 7:54:40 PM Canto: Ruby: but we weren't the ones who disturbed them with our animating energies. 7:54:54 PM Canto: Felix: I'm not, anyway, I'm not gonna speak for the rest of you. 7:56:57 PM Crow: Not me! 7:57:29 PM Canto: Felix: Well... this one doesn't seem interested in us. 7:58:56 PM Crow: Nope. Should we get out and finish it off? 7:59:25 PM Canto: Ruby: Or we could follow it. 8:00:35 PM Crow: Do zombies go home? 8:03:38 PM Canto: Jasper: Not really. Zombies tend to do whatever the animator wants. If they're left to their own devices, they just kind of wander. 8:06:25 PM Crow: Oh, gotcha. 8:07:44 PM Canto: Felix: Following it seems like a decent place to start. 8:09:11 PM Crow: All right. You're the driver. 8:09:47 PM Canto: Felix: It's going offroad, so I can't really take the RV. I say we park it and follow on foot. 8:10:34 PM Crow: Right! 8:10:38 PM Crow: I need some exercise. 8:10:53 PM Canto: Ruby: Right. Arm up, people. 8:12:02 PM Crow: Crow gets her armor on and her machetes! 8:12:53 PM Canto: By that I assume she means her leather pants and bustier. And high-heel boots. 8:13:38 PM Crow: Crow doesn't wear that to fight! 8:13:40 PM Crow: Crow wears that for fun! 8:15:59 PM Canto: Fair enough! 8:16:09 PM Crow: Crow is that kind of girl. 8:16:20 PM Canto: There's an awesome arming-up scene. 8:16:50 PM Crow: Crow looks hot! If you like chubby people in practical armor that obscures most of their gender signifiers. 8:29:01 PM Canto: Hee. 8:32:18 PM Canto: Okay, so you guys get armed up and head out. Felix locks up the explodo-mobile. 8:38:13 PM Crow: Wouldn't want somebody stealin' our ride. 8:38:30 PM Canto: Felix: Or accidentally setting off the booby traps. 8:41:09 PM Crow: What booby traps? 8:42:12 PM Canto: Felix: Myriad, cunning, and devious. 8:42:28 PM Canto: Ruby: ... I think he just says that to be intimidating. 8:43:30 PM Crow: It's cute! 8:43:36 PM Crow: Crow stalks the zombie! 8:47:12 PM Canto: You follow the slow-moving zombie! Who seems to ignore you completely. 8:47:49 PM Canto: It's the most unexciting chase ever. 8:50:13 PM Crow: Crow doesn't seem to mind much! 8:52:00 PM Canto: It's also dark, probably around 11 at night. You follow the slow, shambling zombie into the woods. 8:52:21 PM Canto: Oh, and your spider sense is tingling pretty well. 8:52:46 PM Crow: Definitely getting a sense of mojo going down. You know, what with the zombie being right there and all. 8:54:27 PM Canto: Felix: I want to be cremated when I die. I've mentioned that, right? 8:54:45 PM Canto: Ruby: Yes. Every time we deal with zombies. 8:54:47 PM Crow: Hmm, did you hear that, Ruby? 8:54:51 PM Crow: All I heard was "Braaaains." 9:00:43 PM Canto: Ruby: Think he's a zombie? I am so ready for that. 9:00:49 PM Canto: Jasper sighs. 9:03:58 PM Crow: Hee. We're not gonna let you get zombied, Felix. 9:04:14 PM Crow: Zombies are not cuddly. 9:04:23 PM Canto: Felix: and the best way to assure that is to cremate my corpse! 9:05:12 PM Crow: Or... keep you alive, maybe? 9:07:40 PM Canto: Felix: Or that. 9:07:48 PM Canto: Roll a d20. 9:09:08 PM Crow: ((3. Oh dear.)) 9:11:41 PM Canto: Okay! you trudge through the woods, behind your zombie friend, which Ruby has named 'Eugene'. 9:12:47 PM Crow: Well-born? ... I guess he could be. 9:16:07 PM Canto: Ruby: I'm just saying, it was a nice suit at one point. 9:16:27 PM Crow: ... it's orange. 9:16:54 PM Crow: With ruffles. 9:17:14 PM Canto: Ruby: In the 70s, it was a nice suit. 9:17:26 PM Crow: Yeah, but it's 2015! 9:18:09 PM Canto: Ruby: I don't think they exhume corpses just to make sure their clothes are fashionable! 9:19:45 PM Crow: Well if I'm a zombie you better make sure mine are. 9:23:11 PM Canto: Ruby: Sure. I'm thinking, what, rhinestoned bikini? 9:23:24 PM Crow: Yeah! Make sure to stuff it, though. 9:24:45 PM Crow: Zombies can get kinda... you know. Dead. 9:25:22 PM Canto: Ruby: good point. 9:30:41 PM Crow: And gross. 9:34:15 PM Canto: You follow Eugene a short ways and become aware of other shamblers in the woods around you! 9:34:30 PM Crow: ... okay, now there are a bunch of them. 9:36:08 PM Canto: Ruby: Eugh. 9:36:16 PM Canto: Jasper: are they headed in the same direction? 9:39:31 PM Crow: I can't tell. Can you? 9:40:11 PM Canto: Jasper: I can't even see them. Can you sense them? 9:40:59 PM Crow: Um. 9:41:00 PM Crow: Crow tries! 9:41:08 PM Canto: Roll a d20! 9:43:27 PM Crow: ((14!)) 9:45:49 PM Canto: You can! They're all headed in the same direction in the woods. 9:47:56 PM Crow: They're going the same way. 9:47:57 PM Crow: Crow points. 7:54:34 PM Canto: Here. 7:55:34 PM Crow: ((Right!)) 7:59:42 PM Canto: You were tracking zombies through the woods. Thus far the zombies were not terribly interested in any of you. 8:00:29 PM Crow: Crow does have delicious brains, though! 8:01:32 PM Canto: They don't seem interested in that! And these are shambling zombies -- reanimated corpses, in various stages of decomposition. 8:02:28 PM Crow: Crow sticks with the others! 8:07:11 PM Crow: Crow is taking this team thing very seriously and protecting her people is super important to her. 8:07:22 PM Crow: Crow especially since she hasn't really been on a team before. 8:08:04 PM Canto: Eventually, you find a clearing, and an old barn in the woods, half dilapidated, moss-covered. 8:09:16 PM Crow: Huh. 8:11:25 PM Crow: ((Is that where the zombies are going?)) 8:13:12 PM Canto: This seems to be the focal point for the shamblers! And there's a lot of energy coming out of the barn, along with the faint, sickly green glow that you might associate with Voldemort. 8:13:59 PM Crow: Wow, maybe Voldemort's in there. 8:15:36 PM Canto: Felix: That is new. Usually that doesn't happen in old barns. Usually it's a sickly yellow glow. 8:17:44 PM Crow: Huh. Green is way prettier. 8:17:55 PM Canto: Ruby: Agreed. 8:18:23 PM Canto: Jasper: Okay. I'd say we have a necromancer, then. Definitely a focal point. 8:18:55 PM Crow: Nice. So what do we do next? 8:20:50 PM Crow: Go in there and bust some heads? 8:22:16 PM Canto: Ruby: Yeeeeeeeah. 8:22:59 PM Canto: Jasper: No, we need to see what we're dealing with. Lots of holes in the roof. Felix, can you get up one of those trees and get eyes on the situation? 8:23:10 PM Canto: Felix looks around at the trees. "Done!" 8:24:21 PM Crow: ... just be careful. 8:25:47 PM Canto: Felix: I am part squirrel. 8:26:17 PM Crow: Chicks dig a bushy tail. 8:30:55 PM Canto: He waggles his eyebrows and finds a good climbin' tree, slingin' a rifle over his shoulder and climbin' up. 8:31:19 PM Canto: A well dressed corpse shambles past you, not even acknowledging you. 8:31:41 PM Crow: ... not very hostile, are they? Dig those shoes. 8:34:38 PM Canto: Ruby: ... I think I prefer them when they're trying to kill me. This is much creepier. 8:35:03 PM Crow: I like this, this is good. 8:35:11 PM Crow: Can't we all just get along? 8:39:19 PM Canto: You hear Felix come over your headset! He's humming as he climbs a tree. 8:39:39 PM Canto: Ruby: ... this is weird. Right? Jasper? 8:39:51 PM Canto: Ruby: Tehy're not attacking us, or eating brains. 8:41:45 PM Crow: I like it. 8:41:53 PM Crow: I think it should be the new fad for zombies. 8:41:57 PM Crow: Very radical, nontraditional. 8:45:11 PM Canto: Felix: Okay. I have eyes on the inside of the barn. I think Crow's right, they're tryiing to resuscitate the Dark Lord. 8:45:55 PM Crow: Well that's bad. 8:46:07 PM Crow: Is there a giant snake at all? 8:50:45 PM Canto: Felix: No, but there is a glowing statue apparently sculpted by non-human hands. 8:51:53 PM Canto: Felix: It's a monolith looking thing. 8:52:46 PM Crow: ... wow, okay, there better not be a space baby. What do we do, Jasper? 8:56:00 PM Canto: Jasper: what about the zombies, Felix? 8:56:18 PM Canto: Felix: Well... they're walking into the statue and disappearing. I guess it might be full of stars? 8:57:17 PM Crow: Do not walk into statue, got it. 8:57:50 PM Canto: Felix: Want me to shoot it? 8:58:05 PM Canto: Jasper: No! 8:58:08 PM Crow: Good question. Jasper, is this gonna be a... 8:58:10 PM Crow: Got it. 8:58:21 PM Crow: Are you gonna go in there, holy water blazing? 9:02:14 PM Canto: Jasper: Felix, are there any signs that the zombies are going to suddenly get violent on us? 9:02:18 PM Canto: Felix: Nope. 9:02:26 PM Canto: Felix: And I don't see anyone else. 9:04:22 PM Crow: Ruby and I'd be goin' in with you, I think. If we leave Felix in his tree. 9:04:37 PM Crow: Don't worry, we'll call the fire department to get you down eventually. 9:05:08 PM Canto: Felix: You want me to stay here? I see how it is. 9:05:38 PM Canto: Felix: Besides, I have a good vantage point. 9:06:54 PM Crow: Exactly. 9:07:03 PM Crow: Well, convention states that we have to split up, so. 9:09:09 PM Canto: Felix: Zombies aren't exactly good climbers. 9:09:44 PM Crow: True. Maybe you should go check the fuse box. 9:09:52 PM Crow: Okay, Jasper, what're you gonna be doing in there? 9:11:31 PM Canto: Jasper: Well, I mostly just want a better look at this evil monolith. 9:13:01 PM Crow: I don't suppose you climb trees. 9:14:39 PM Canto: Jasper: Not terribly well, no. 9:14:53 PM Canto: Felix: I can cover all three of youf rom here. 9:16:02 PM Crow: Yeah, I was just hoping to have a plan of attack before going into the terrifying barn. 9:16:23 PM Crow: All right, we'll walk in there, see what's up, and retreat back here if necessary. Sound good? 9:18:19 PM Crow: Crow checks her headset. 9:18:44 PM Canto: Ruby: sounds like a plan. Felix, dont' shoot us unless we become zombies. Then, still don't shoot us. 9:19:53 PM Crow: Yeah, then it's your job to cross the world looking for a cure to zombiesm. 9:22:25 PM Canto: Ruby: Or just be nice and let us eat your brains. 9:22:52 PM Crow: And come be a zombie with us! 9:23:42 PM Canto: Felix: only if you can climb this tree after you get decomposed. 9:25:13 PM Crow: Hmm. We'll have to see. 9:25:21 PM Crow: All right. Everybody ready? 9:28:22 PM Canto: Ruby nods! Jasper nods, but solemnly. 9:28:32 PM Crow: Right. 9:28:52 PM Crow: Crow heads for the barn, slow enough for the others to follow. She keeps her hands near her machetes but doesn't draw them out yet. 9:44:42 PM Canto: Okay! You head into the barn. There is a monolith in the center of it. It glows with greenish light! It's not just a monolith though, you think you can see forms inside the monolith, straining at the surface like it's some kind of membrane. 9:45:29 PM Crow: ... well, that's terrifying. 9:45:51 PM Canto: Jasper: .... indeed. You picking up anything off of the thing? 9:46:05 PM Crow: Uh. 9:46:09 PM Crow: ((Is she?)) 9:47:33 PM Canto: ((Yep! Quite a bit!)) 9:48:27 PM Crow: Yeah, a lot. 9:54:30 PM Crow: But I think we figured that out with the green glowy stuff. 9:57:10 PM Canto: You watch a zombie trundle past you guys! He approaches the monolith, hands outstretched. 9:58:08 PM Crow: Crow watches. 9:58:22 PM Crow: I don't think we should let them get there. Any ideas on sanctification, Jasper? 9:59:59 PM Canto: Jasper: Well, I figure we an start with holy water. 10:01:02 PM Crow: Okay. I've got a feeling they might attack when you do that, so we'll be ready to defend you. 10:01:14 PM Crow: If they keep ignoring you, we'll try to cut them down before they get to the monolith. 10:01:24 PM Crow: 'cause I don't think it's good that they're getting there. 10:03:01 PM Canto: Jasper nods, and pulls out a vial of holy water! 10:05:04 PM Crow: Crow keeps in a protective position to keep Jasper safe! 10:06:46 PM Canto: He tries splashing some holy water on it. No effect! Are you gonna try and stop the zombie from touching it? 10:07:55 PM Crow: Crow does. 10:07:58 PM Crow: Try something else! 10:08:18 PM Crow: Crow just goes for a surprise beheading with the zombie. 10:08:59 PM Canto: Okay! Easy enough! Fwip! 10:12:44 PM Crow: Crow waits for the next one... and for Jasper to keep trying something else. 10:15:29 PM Canto: He pulls out an old book and is furiously flipping through pages. 10:15:36 PM Canto: Felix: I could blow it up. 10:15:49 PM Crow: Thaaaaaaaaaat's our last resort, 'cause it might make it worse. 10:20:16 PM Canto: Felix: Just saying. 10:20:55 PM Crow: It's worth thinkin' about! And totally not just because I'm dying to use the rocket launcher! 10:21:02 PM Crow: Crow gets ready to squash more zombies. 10:22:02 PM Canto: Jasper begins yelling at the obelisk in latin! you think it's latin. 10:22:18 PM Canto: The greenish light flickers at that! 10:22:35 PM Crow: Ooh, that's working. 10:23:57 PM Canto: the zombies start walking at Jasper! 10:24:39 PM Crow: Oops, heads up Ruby, they're after our wizard. 10:24:48 PM Crow: Crow moves to interpose. 10:27:37 PM Canto: It's not hard! They are in fact slow zombies. So you behead one, then Ruby, then you, then Ruby, then you have to kill two, then Ruby has to kill two... 10:30:04 PM Crow: Uh, faster if you can manage, Jasper! 10:30:55 PM Canto: He keeps into it, waving a rosary at the monolith! 10:31:05 PM Canto: You feel definite tingles coming off Jasper. 10:32:08 PM Crow: ... it's working. 10:32:24 PM Crow: Crow concentrates on the zombies -- and preventing them from getting at her priest. 10:32:51 PM Canto: Felix starts taking potshots from his nest! 10:33:04 PM Canto: Also he's singing The Final Countdown. 10:33:47 PM Canto: And vocalizing that sweet synth refrain. "Do do do dooo, dododododo, do do do dooo" 10:36:34 PM Crow: Crow smiles. 10:37:36 PM Canto: The monolith gets dimmer! 10:37:55 PM Canto: Also the weird shapes inside it get a bit more sluggish in their undulations. 10:38:52 PM Crow: Crow continues taking out zombies, but primarily focuses on protecting Jasper while he works! 10:45:34 PM Canto: The zombies actually seem to be getting a bit more aggressive! 10:48:04 PM Crow: Crow just keeps Jasper safe, that's the important thing. She'll fight them if she has to! 10:52:20 PM Canto: Yep! And you have to ! They start clawing at you, lunging at you. They dont' seem to be going for your brains, at least. 10:52:49 PM Crow: Yii! 10:53:08 PM Crow: Crow defends, defends, defends! But will take a hit if it means keeping Jasper safe. 10:53:33 PM Canto: Roll a d20! 10:54:42 PM Crow: ((18!)) 10:58:54 PM Canto: You do pretty good remaining untouched! They're still not terribly imposing fighters. Jasper finishes his prayer, and the monolith just stops! Stops moving, stops glowing. All the zombies stop moving, too. 10:59:47 PM Crow: ((Is it still magic? Are they standing in place or did they fall over like good dead corpses normally do?)) 11:01:17 PM Canto: They're kinda standing around! 11:02:43 PM Crow: .... huh. Now what? 11:02:55 PM Crow: ((Is it still magic?)) 11:04:31 PM Canto: Yep! There's not as much, though. It feels like it's lingering? 11:05:52 PM Crow: Well, that's a start. There's still... something there. You guys okay? 11:06:32 PM Canto: Ruby catches her breath. "Yeah!" 11:06:38 PM Canto: Felix: I'm perfectly fine. 11:07:37 PM Crow: Jasper? 11:09:50 PM Canto: Jasper daubs his sweaty brow with a hankerchief. "haven't had to bust that one out for awhile." 11:11:19 PM Crow: It's holding, at least. The question is what will do a more permanent job. ... and what the heck something like this is even doing here, and what it is. Okay there are several questions. 6:51:32 PM Canto: You have a monolith! It stopped doing whatever it was doing for the moment, though it's still got some mojo comin' off it. 6:52:26 PM Crow: Now what? 6:54:47 PM Crow: We need a more permanent solution to our problem. 6:59:59 PM Canto: Jasper sits down on an old hay bale. "We need to figure out where this thing came from." 7:00:38 PM Crow: Right! ... I don't see a label. 7:00:58 PM Canto: Ruby: Maybe it's from Ikea. 7:01:20 PM Crow: It does kinda look Swedish, doesn't it? 7:02:03 PM Crow: All those corners and that inhuman perfection. 7:02:48 PM Canto: Ruby: No, wait. Unfathomable eldritch evil takes a 3/8 allen wrench. This is a 3/9. 7:03:29 PM Crow: So it's what, meant to be cuddly and helpful? 7:06:40 PM Canto: Ruby: No, I think it's not from Ikea. Maybe one of those Wal-Mart offbrands. 7:07:12 PM Canto: Felix: About 200 yards to the north of the barn you're in, looks like someone has been digging. maybe that's where it came from? 7:07:38 PM Crow: Oh yeah? What kind of digging? 7:07:57 PM Canto: Felix: Shovels and a backhoe. 7:08:44 PM Crow: Wow, okay. We owe you some cuddles, for sure. Ruby, you wanna scope it out with me or stay with Jasper here? If you and I go Jasper's goin' too. 7:09:28 PM | Edited 7:10:50 PM Canto: Jasper: I'll go with you. We shouldn't split up anymore. Felix, you okay up your tree? 7:12:02 PM Crow: Crow nods. 7:12:46 PM Canto: Felix: Yeah. I'd say it's just me an the birds and squirrels, but I haven't seen either. I think the glowing obelisk of swedish evil has scared off the local wildlife. 7:12:52 PM Canto: Jasper: Not uncommon. 7:13:45 PM Crow: Swedes. Terrible. 7:13:53 PM Crow: All right, come on, let's go look at the dig site. 7:16:32 PM Canto: You leave the monolith there, and head to the north! You do find a truck with a winch outside the bar. You didn't see it from where you entered. But it definitely looks like it dragged something to the barn. 7:17:19 PM Crow: ... well, zombies don't drive. 7:17:26 PM Crow: So someone was responsible. 7:18:42 PM Crow: Crow starts looking around. 7:23:16 PM Canto: There are still keys in the truck! But no sign of anyone. There's the remains of a Big Gulp in the cup holder, and some beef jerky under the seat. 7:24:05 PM Crow: Huh. I wonder if he was the first zombie victim. 7:25:56 PM Canto: Ruby: Maybe. Whoever it was, they liked Mountain Dew, so any zombies would be super hyper and crazy. 7:26:44 PM Crow: ... isn't usually tony rich people who do daft things like summoning zombies? 7:28:53 PM Canto: Jasper: No necessarily. This kind of stuff takes a lot of sacrifice, personal or otherwise. 7:29:20 PM Canto: Jasper: Right now I'm thinking that our glowing monolith is the culprit. Sometimes objects have their own intelligence. 7:29:57 PM Crow: Oh. That makes sense. But then how do we stop it? 7:31:22 PM Crow: ... I'm pretty sure drinking that much Mountain Dew will actually kill you. 7:32:22 PM Canto: Felix: Rocket laaaaauncher. 7:32:35 PM Canto: Jasper: That's Plan H, Felix. 7:34:05 PM Crow: ... we should feed him a lot of coffee some time. 7:35:29 PM Canto: Ruby: He's pretty much immune to it at this point. 7:35:47 PM Canto: You guys find the dig site! 7:38:09 PM Crow: Hmm. 7:38:13 PM Crow: Crow starts scouting it out. 7:42:51 PM Canto: So do Jasper and Ruby! It looks almost professional -- like, their are tiers. It looks like people started digging with shovels, then on the next level, a smaller area was excavated, and then a third tier down, an even smaller area. 7:43:15 PM Canto: Lot's of footprints all over the place, looks like there were a lot of diggers involved. 7:44:02 PM Crow: .... like an archaeological dig. 7:45:29 PM Canto: At the center, you find the deepest whole, obviously where the monolight was pulled from. 7:46:36 PM Crow: Well, that's definitely where it was from. 7:46:40 PM Crow: But who pulled it up and why? 7:53:09 PM Canto: Jasper shrugs, looking around! "Do you feel anything?" 7:53:25 PM Canto: Ruby: hah. You're totally our tricorder now. 7:53:49 PM Crow: I know, right? 7:53:57 PM Crow: I don't even think the government people knew I could do that. 7:54:15 PM Crow: Crow closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and centers herself, then reaches out! 7:56:52 PM Canto: Roll! a d20. 7:57:12 PM Crow: ((18!)) 7:58:18 PM Canto: Nice! You definitely get a sense. There's some power here, but it feels like it's residual. Like... what's here is here because the monolith was here for a very long time. But at the same time it feels... newish. Like it only recently woke up. 8:00:46 PM Crow: ... I wonder what woke itup. 8:01:11 PM Canto: Jasper: ... so it was woken up? Huh. 8:01:44 PM Crow: Yeah, definitely. 8:02:04 PM Crow: The monolith was here for a really long time but it wasn't... live.... until recently. 8:02:11 PM Crow: Maybe when it was dug up? 8:02:33 PM Canto: Ruby: Or it woke up and made people dig it up. 8:03:18 PM Canto: Jasper: Or both. 8:04:10 PM Crow: Could be? 8:05:23 PM Canto: Jasper: Like someone was digging, and happened upon it, and then it woke up. 8:08:05 PM Crow: That could be. 8:08:11 PM Crow: ... no idea how to stop it, though... 8:08:53 PM Canto: Jasper: ...no. And where are all the people that dug it up? 8:12:02 PM Crow: No idea on that either. 8:12:05 PM Crow: Crow shakes her head. 8:12:08 PM Crow: So much for tricorder. 8:16:22 PM Canto: Ruby: Nah, if you remember, the tricorder only did whatever the script required. Obviously, if this were a script we were in, it's not dramatically appropriate that you be able to tell us everything right now. 8:18:10 PM Crow: Hmm. You have a good point. creepy, but good. 8:18:32 PM Canto: Felix: Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerd. 8:21:15 PM Crow: Nerds are hot. 8:22:10 PM Canto: Felix: Whatever. I'll be over at my table with the cool kids. Listening to jazz records and smokin' jazz cigarettes. 8:24:21 PM Crow: And getting jazz cancer? 8:25:26 PM Canto: Felix: Whatever, cancer's dumb and stupid. 8:25:50 PM Crow: Yep. Do not smoke when I'm around. Gross. 8:33:12 PM Canto: Felix: ... you know I don't actually smoke, right? That I was getting into my whole 'I'm too cool for you nerds' persona? 8:34:23 PM Crow: Where is smoking still cool? 1952? 8:34:37 PM Crow: Let's not ever go there ever. 8:35:12 PM Canto: Felix: Probably bout the same time when they thought jazz was corrupting to the youths. 8:35:31 PM Crow: It did though, look at us. 8:36:56 PM Canto: Felix: I hate jazz. 8:38:16 PM Crow: Me too! 6:29:11 PM Canto: So you were poking around the dig site. 6:30:13 PM Crow: Crow was exploring! 6:34:55 PM Canto: Yes. You do see some clues that the pit that the monolith was pulled out of was part of some other ruins -- you see some stone masonry at the bottom of the pit. 6:35:37 PM Crow: Hey, that thing's not even from here. 6:35:46 PM Crow: ... which makes sense, Indians aren't known for monoliths. 6:38:56 PM Canto: Jasper shines a flashlight down into the pit. 6:39:07 PM Canto: Jasper: I see a tunnel. 6:40:09 PM Crow: Cool! 6:40:17 PM Crow: Crow scrambles down into the pit. 6:41:08 PM Canto: There is, indeed, a tunnel at teh bottom. You have to squeeze in there at first, but it kind of opens up. 6:42:14 PM Crow: Come on, guys! It opens up! 6:43:08 PM Canto: Ruby: On my way! 6:44:42 PM Crow: Don't forget Jasper! 6:44:50 PM Crow: ... if you have to toss him down I can probably catch him. ... maybe. 6:45:07 PM Crow: .... or, you know, break his fall, anyway. 6:46:58 PM Canto: Jasper: I'm not that old. 6:48:26 PM Crow: Never said you were! You're not a government-engineered superkiller, though. 6:50:40 PM Canto: Jasper: True. 6:50:44 PM Canto: Ruby scrambles down! 6:51:25 PM Crow: Or Super-Ruby! 6:55:41 PM Canto: Ruby: I've always suspected I might also be a government engineered something or other. 6:56:56 PM Crow: Hottie. The word you're looking for is definitely "hottie." 7:00:03 PM Canto: Ruby: I'm okay with that. 7:00:35 PM Canto: Jasper scrambles into the pit and you guys squeeze into the tunnel! There's definitely mojo down here. 7:01:01 PM Crow: Oh yeah, can you guys feel that? Wughhh. 7:01:31 PM Canto: Ruby: Not really. Wait, was a it spider? I think I felt that. 7:02:29 PM Crow: Ick, spiders. No, I meant... you know. It's Eldritch in here. 7:03:49 PM Canto: Jasper looks around! Loolks like it's part natural cave, part excavated cave. "Huh. Look at this." He points to some stuff scrawled on the stone. 7:04:13 PM Crow: Crow peers at it. 7:07:31 PM Canto: You see vague designs, but clearly Jasper sees more than you are at the moment. 7:08:08 PM Crow: Uh... swirlies? 7:08:25 PM Crow: With some round... thingies? 7:09:36 PM Canto: Jasper: They're warning signs. This tunnel was part of... temple? Or something. And this was the way to the monolith, which they didn't want people to access. 7:12:46 PM Crow: ... huh. Why? Does it say? ... does it say how to stop the darn thing? 7:13:11 PM Canto: Jasper: Not here. Let's move forward a bit. 7:14:12 PM Crow: Right! 7:14:15 PM Crow: Crow leads! 7:15:34 PM Canto: You go through the small tunnel, which opens up into a larger room, half caved in. But what you can see lends toward a sanctuary/temple feel. 7:16:48 PM Crow: ... looks kinda... worshippy, doesn't it, Jasper? 7:17:22 PM Canto: Jasper nods. "Yeah, definitely. It feels like an old church or shrine. 7:18:32 PM Crow: To what, though? Or who? 7:19:22 PM Canto: Jasper shrugs. "Some kind of Christianity, I'm pretty sure." 7:20:23 PM Crow: ... Christians are into monoliths now? Man, I gotta get to church more often, I totally missed that. 7:57:31 PM Canto: Jasper: At a guess? They found the thing and buried it here for safety. Small temple, probably staffed with some monks, in the middle of nowhere. 7:59:01 PM Crow: Oh. That makes more sense. 7:59:49 PM Canto: Jasper: But they probably also destroyed all records of it. 8:00:09 PM Crow: Well, crap. 8:00:12 PM Crow: Then what do we do? 8:01:22 PM Canto: Jasper: I don'tk now. Look around, maybe there's more clues. 8:02:32 PM Crow: Crow nods, and starts canvassing the area. 8:02:48 PM Canto: Roll a d20! 8:04:04 PM Crow: ((12!)) 8:10:37 PM Canto: Okay! You find some very old parchments tucked away in what was once an altar, you think. 8:12:38 PM Crow: Crow takes them out and delicately tries to open them. 8:13:15 PM Canto: It's in some language you don't unnerstand! And the pages are super fragile. 8:14:38 PM Crow: I don't speak this, Jasper, come look. 8:17:13 PM Canto: Jasper does! 8:18:24 PM Crow: What language is that? What's it say? 8:23:22 PM Canto: Jasper: It's a weird form of French mixed with latin. I think that the monks here seperated from a larger church and made a concerted effort to remain seperate and secretive. 8:24:22 PM Crow: ... that's weird. 8:24:25 PM Crow: Can you read it? 8:27:05 PM Canto: Jasper: I can read enough. They found this thing on an island in the Atlantic. They brought it to... the colonies? Canada, I think. But they noticed that people started.... worshipping it? So a group of monks took it further west in order to hide it and bury it. "No artifice we possess is capable of destroying the damned thing." 8:29:29 PM | Edited 8:29:38 PM Crow: ... maybe we should let Felix blow it up. 8:29:52 PM Canto: Ruby: ... man. I hate it when he's right. 8:32:12 PM Crow: It's just a thought! 8:33:46 PM Canto: JAsper: Well, its definitely what these guys would have done. 8:35:43 PM Crow: ... aren't they dead? 8:36:44 PM Canto: Jasper: Yeah. But they didn't have explosives. 8:36:50 PM Canto: He flips through the pages, carefully. 8:37:33 PM Crow: Crow watches with an eye toward guarding! 8:43:13 PM Canto: Jasper: "It is possessed of an insidious malevolence, capable of manipulating the senses and thoughts of those that would harm it or be useful to it." 8:43:33 PM Crow: Oh, great, mind control, seriously, again? 8:43:42 PM Crow: You okay, Ruby? 8:43:59 PM Canto: Ruby: I'm feeling fine. 8:44:32 PM Canto: Jasper: I don't think it sees us as a threat. Or it's too busy doing whatever it was doing to notice us. 8:47:13 PM Crow: Hm. All right. ... so it's a mindcontrolling doodad. How're we going to get it nicely blown up? 8:51:56 PM Canto: Jasper: From a distance, I would think. the monks were able to keep themselves safe from it. I don't think it can control whoever it wants. 8:52:16 PM Canto: He flips pages. "Yeah. Says here -- if you know it can control you, it can't." 8:52:26 PM Crow: Right. You heard that, right Felix? 8:52:31 PM Canto: Jasper: Preys on the unwary. 8:52:38 PM Canto: Felix: Yep. 8:52:55 PM Crow: And none of us are now, so we're good. 8:53:16 PM Crow: So... explosives? 8:53:16 PM Canto: Jasper: Well... it can still read your mind, and make illusions. 8:53:27 PM Canto: Felix: I'm already headed to the RV. 8:53:44 PM Crow: ... oh. Well, I don't know that it can read my mind and make illusions. Maybe I should blow it up. ... somehow. 8:54:14 PM Canto: Felix: I think we all know the answer to that. 8:55:13 PM Crow: We do? 8:56:21 PM Canto: Felix: It starts with R and rhymes with Docket Launcher. 8:56:47 PM Crow: Okay. Let's all stick together, hopefully it can't affect us all at once. 8:56:52 PM Crow: You stay there, Felix. 8:57:25 PM Canto: Felix: All right. It's still stunned, or whatever. The zombies are still stationary. 8:57:41 PM Canto: Jasper grabs the book and sticks it in his satchel! 8:58:52 PM Crow: Right. Let's go. 9:02:35 PM Canto: You guys head back! 9:06:11 PM Canto: You climb back out of the pit. 9:07:03 PM Crow: Right. 9:07:06 PM Crow: Now, are we really out of the pit? 9:07:36 PM Canto: Jasper: Seems like. I don't think we have much of a choice but to proceed as if we are anway. 9:08:15 PM Canto: Jasper: the monks thought there was a definite range component to its abilities, that's why they stored it away from civilized people. 9:08:49 PM Crow: Right. 9:08:57 PM Crow: ..... so the rocket launcher is an especially good idea. 9:09:03 PM Crow: C'mon, let's get to the trailer. 9:09:06 PM Crow: Crow skips toward it. 9:10:49 PM Canto: You met up with Felix! "With all these trees, though, we won't be able to get too far away from it." 9:11:03 PM Crow: ... hmm. Better let me hold all the weapons. 9:11:23 PM Canto: Ruby: Think so? 9:11:32 PM Crow: Or just the fun ones. 9:11:34 PM Crow: Crow grins. 9:15:33 PM Canto: You walk back to the RV! 9:16:18 PM Crow: Crow checks for Felix. 9:17:00 PM Canto: Oh, you meet up with him on the way. 9:17:20 PM Crow: Okay, so how do I use this thing? 9:19:58 PM Canto: Felix: That's what she said. 9:20:37 PM Crow: Crow snrks. 9:20:41 PM Crow: Is it point and click? 9:21:39 PM Canto: Felix nods. "Yeah, it's a dumbfire. Point and shoot." He hands you the launcher, and holds up a case! "Here are the rockets." 9:21:51 PM Crow: Great! Show me how to load it. 9:26:29 PM Canto: Felix: Once we got to a good site to fire it. 9:28:38 PM Crow: Right! What would a good site look like? 9:29:12 PM Canto: Felix: A clear path to the monolith. 9:29:30 PM Canto: You guys head back through the woods! you notice the zombies are moving again, once again headed abck to that barn. 9:29:40 PM Crow: ... shoot. 9:29:48 PM Crow: We better hurry. And you should get back up your tree. 9:30:01 PM Canto: Felix nods. "Good idea." 9:32:04 PM Crow: Just in case. 9:34:10 PM Canto: He does so, finding his tree and scurrying back up it. 9:37:33 PM Crow: Crow heads toward the monolith! She's gonna blow that thing up so hard! 9:38:18 PM Canto: Okay! You find a place to get a clear shot. Roll a d20. 9:41:46 PM Crow: ((19!!!)) 9:44:03 PM Canto: Niiiiiice! Ruby takes up a defensive position as you take aim! you fire! Diiiiiiiiirect hit! 9:44:52 PM Crow: Oh my god that was amazing. 9:44:57 PM Crow: Felix? Did I get it? 9:45:58 PM Canto: The force of the rocket also wrecks the barn. "Hold on. Waiting for the dust to clear. 9:47:34 PM Crow: Right. 9:50:45 PM Canto: Felix: I would load up a second one, just to be sure. 9:53:21 PM Crow: Crow does it, following how Felix did it before! 9:53:24 PM Crow: Crow fires again! 9:53:37 PM Crow: ((17. NOW let the smoke clear!)) 9:55:21 PM Canto: The smoke clears! Eventually. The monolith is now monolith chunks! The Zombies half al collapsed into little heaps! 9:57:16 PM Crow: Woo! 9:57:23 PM Crow: ... now, can we be sure that it's really blown up? 9:57:37 PM Canto: Ruby pinches you. 9:57:59 PM Canto: Felix: Looks blown up to me. 9:58:10 PM Crow: Yowch, that hurts! 9:58:13 PM Crow: Crow rubs her arm. 9:58:27 PM Crow: Woo! Jasper, you need to uh... sanctify the thing? 9:58:53 PM Canto: Felix: Let's see.... Okay. I just saw a zombie about half a mile off fall over and stay down. So.... I think that means its power is broken? 10:00:13 PM Canto: Jasper nods. "Yeah. I want to sanctify it." 10:01:34 PM Crow: Great! Let's go pray at it! I'll even help. Or we can split up and you can take a body guard and pray and someone else can make coffee? 10:04:38 PM Canto: Jasper: Why don't you come with me. Ruby, meet up with Felix, give the perimeter a once over. 10:06:00 PM Crow: Right, sounds perfect! 10:06:14 PM Crow: ... and then whoever's done first makes coffee. There'll be coffee, right? 10:08:05 PM Canto: Felix: Absolutely. 10:08:46 PM Crow: Great! 10:09:13 PM Crow: Crow kisses Felix and Ruby on the cheek (she has to tug Ruby down to do this) but not Jasper. And reluctantly gives the rocket launcher back to Felix. 10:11:21 PM Canto: He grins and takes it back! And they head off. 10:12:40 PM Crow: Okay, so. Whydja want me, Jasper? Or are you just not sick of me yet? 10:13:49 PM Canto: Jasper: ... why wouldn't I want you with me? 10:14:10 PM Crow: I'm teasin'! But I thought maybe you had a specific reason in mind. 10:20:46 PM Canto: Jasper: I think that your ability would give you the ability to see past any illusions. Or at least to perceive them as fake. 10:21:16 PM Crow: Well, yeah. 6:47:31 PM Iskandar: So! Crow had exploded an evil rock. 6:47:43 PM Iskandar: An evil illusioncasting mind-reading rock. 6:48:24 PM Iskandar: Cause those exist. 6:49:53 PM Crow: Crow had a great time! 6:50:03 PM Crow: Crow was hangin' with Jasper after that. 6:50:38 PM Iskandar: Yep. He was gonna consecrate the spot where the obelisk was, along with the obelisk chunks. 6:52:45 PM Crow: Crow is helping! And bodyguarding. 6:53:54 PM Iskandar: You can tell, as you approach, that the obelisk chunks still seem to ahve some residual power and malevolence to them. 6:58:54 PM Crow: Ugh. 6:58:59 PM Crow: Yeah, still tingly with evil. 7:01:12 PM Iskandar: Jasper nods! "Alright. Be careful, I'm gonna start praying." He pulls out his little prayer book. 7:02:24 PM Crow: Crow guards him! But is respectful to the praying as well. 7:06:22 PM Iskandar: He walks around, describing a circle by sprinkling holy water, then he stands in the middle of said circle and starts praying in latin. 7:09:30 PM Crow: Crow keeps an eye out for trouble! 7:10:50 PM Iskandar: Okay! Roll a d20. 7:13:27 PM Crow: ((17!)) 7:16:28 PM Iskandar: Nice! Okay! Scattered everywhere are the remains of the zombies, many of whom were blown apart by the explosion. You notice some of the... parts, wriggling toward Jasper. 7:18:45 PM Crow: Crow kicks them away! 7:19:09 PM Iskandar: An arm grabs at your ankle as you try to kick. 7:22:07 PM Crow: Crow slices it up! 7:23:35 PM Iskandar: It's not hard! It's just an arm. 7:24:18 PM Iskandar: The bigger shards of obelisk gleam with evil power as you run interference, prevenging zombie torsos and whatnot from reaching jasper! Roll a d20 again. 7:26:25 PM Crow: ((4! Oh dear.)) 7:37:00 PM Iskandar: As you're running zombie-bit interference, you see one of the biggest shards gleaming at you evilly. It looks like a piece of broken mirror, flat, irregular, four inches by three inches or so. It shimmers at you, and not being able to influence you directly, or trap you mentally in an illusion, it conjures up an image of Doc! You know this isn't Doc. You know it's just the shard. But still, she smiles at you. "Hello, Agent Crow. Have you been enjoying yourself?" 7:37:59 PM Crow: Yeah! You're not real. 7:38:14 PM Crow: Crow tries to squash it. 7:41:36 PM Iskandar: She smiles. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Maybe I am just an image. Maybe the obelisk just pulled me out of your memory. Really it's a very interesting question, don't you think? Truth is, I'm not real real. But I'm real enough. I can see everything they did to your mind. Aren't you the teeniest bit interested?" 7:43:58 PM Crow: Nope! 7:44:03 PM Crow: Crow tries to smoosh it! 7:49:38 PM Iskandar: Rollllllllllllll. 7:50:40 PM Crow: ((10!)) 7:52:03 PM Iskandar: Fake Doc smiles as you raise your foot over the shard! "Just keep swimming, Crow! Just keep swimming. What do we do?" 7:52:28 PM Crow: nnggh. 7:52:32 PM Crow: Crow tries harder! 7:55:32 PM Iskandar: It's hard! The trigger still has power. Fake Doc speaks firmly. "WHAT do we DO, Crow?" 7:56:00 PM Crow: Crow covers her ears and starts to hum loudly! 7:57:38 PM Iskandar: What does she hum? 7:57:50 PM Iskandar: She can't quite lower her foot yet. 7:58:34 PM Crow: Crow hums the Star Spangled Banner! 8:00:30 PM Iskandar: Fake Doc walks right up to Crow! 8:00:43 PM Iskandar: And plants a big kiss on her lips. 8:01:16 PM Crow: Crow screams and punches her in the face. 8:04:34 PM Iskandar: Roll a d20! 8:06:47 PM Crow: ((4 again, ouch!)) 8:11:48 PM Iskandar: She smiles as her head snaps back, and she wipes her now bloody nose with the back of her hand. "What do we do, Crow? Just keep swimming and tell me what we do." 8:12:08 PM Crow: Go away! Don't touch me! 8:15:05 PM Crow: Crow flails. 8:17:05 PM Iskandar: She smiles, and her voice gets all sing-song. "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." She headbutts you! Hard. She's an illusion, you know, but it hurts! 8:17:46 PM Crow: Help! 8:20:53 PM Crow: Ruby, Felix! Help! 8:22:39 PM Iskandar: Doc: Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. My voice is becoming more distant, and yet louder in your head. What do we do, Crow? (roll a d20.) 8:24:46 PM Crow: ((16!)) 8:27:16 PM Iskandar: You see Ruby and Felix rushing over! "Crow? What's wrong?" 8:28:39 PM Crow: I'm hallucinating! 8:30:10 PM Iskandar: Doc: They can't see me, Crow. Only you can see me. Only you can hear me. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. 8:30:16 PM Iskandar: Felix: What are you hallucinating? 8:30:32 PM Crow: My former boss sexually harassing me! Which didn't even actually happen! 8:32:40 PM Iskandar: Felix: ... okay. You want me to tranquilize you? 8:32:48 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Felix! 8:33:15 PM Crow: Um. I'm not sure, maybe? 8:33:31 PM Iskandar: Felix: Well, Ic an't tranquilze her old boss! I can't tranquilize hallucinations! 8:38:49 PM Crow: I don't know! But she's freaking me out! 8:39:32 PM Iskandar: Doc: Are these your new friends? Ooooh, I can't wait for you to tell me all about them when you get back to the base. They look fun. 8:39:36 PM Iskandar: Roll a d20! 8:39:54 PM Crow: ((5!)) 8:43:20 PM Iskandar: ((Eep!)) "Okay, enough fooling around! Just keep swimming, Crow! Just keep swimming. What do we do, Crow? Tell me." 8:45:08 PM Crow: Tranquilize me, Felix! 8:46:35 PM Iskandar: He's looking for a tranquilizer round, patting down his pockets! 8:46:51 PM Iskandar: Doc: What do we, Crow? What do we do? 8:47:03 PM Crow: Crow curls up in a little ball on the ground! 8:50:49 PM | Edited 8:51:06 PM Iskandar: Felix: Sorry Crow! He sticks you with a needle. 8:51:13 PM Crow: Ow! Keep Jasper safe! 8:51:27 PM Iskandar: Ruby is currenly fighting zombie bits now. 8:52:54 PM Iskandar: Fake Doc: sigh Oh well. See you soon, Crow. There is so much stuff in your head you have no idea about. Should be very interesting! Her eyes glow red and she just becomes more and more inhuman as she fades away and you lose conscious ness. 8:53:19 PM Iskandar: Luckily, the tranq puts you out into a dreamless sleep! 8:53:54 PM Iskandar: ((Good thinking, calling on Felix and Ruby! With the low rolls, things could have gone much different, there.)) 8:54:49 PM Crow: Crow snoozles. 8:55:23 PM Iskandar: You wake up in the explodomobile! 8:56:01 PM Crow: Crow snorts and sits up. 8:57:05 PM Iskandar: They're all there! 8:57:22 PM Iskandar: Ruby: You need to throw up? I usually do after I get tranqued. 8:57:36 PM Crow: ... no, I don't think so. 8:57:50 PM Crow: Are you guys okay? 8:57:55 PM Crow: Did you finish up with the monolith thingy? 9:00:00 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Yeah, Jasper finished with his thing. We haven't actually hit the road, yet, he wanted you to look at the site and make sure it's all dead. 9:00:49 PM Crow: ... okay. 9:00:50 PM Iskandar: Jasper: I think it tried to attack you using the last bit of its power -- after you went down, the consecration got a lot easier. 9:01:12 PM Crow: Oh. Well, useful after all, then! 9:01:15 PM Crow: Crow stands up. 9:02:32 PM Iskandar: Felix: You okay? 9:03:13 PM Iskandar: Felix: Usually that same dose keeps Ruby out for hours and hours. 9:04:29 PM Crow: Smaller dogs have higher metabolisms? I don't know. 9:04:32 PM Crow: I feel okay. 9:05:05 PM Iskandar: Felix: Or Ruby can't hold her tranquilizers. 9:06:27 PM Crow: Pretty sure the gubmint drugged me up pretty hard, too, so it might be resistance. 9:06:55 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Thanks Obama. 9:07:04 PM Crow: Crow snrks. 9:07:09 PM Crow: I kinda doubt he was involved. 9:07:35 PM Iskandar: Roll a d20! 9:07:46 PM Crow: ((15!)) 9:08:35 PM Iskandar: Okay, you can tell, even from here, that the magic energy that kind of suffused the area is just gone now. 9:08:56 PM Crow: Oh yeah, the hoodoo is all gone. 9:15:02 PM Iskandar: Jasper: You okay with heading back to the site with me? I don't want to leave anything behind. 9:15:44 PM Crow: Sure! 9:17:45 PM Iskandar: Okay! you head out there! There is no more mojo here. 9:17:58 PM Crow: Nnnope, nothin'. 9:18:26 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Good. We're done here, now. 9:18:34 PM Iskandar: Jasper: .... I wonder what it was. 9:18:48 PM Crow: I don't know. 9:19:46 PM Iskandar: Jasper: You okay? Ruby said you saw your old boss. 9:19:57 PM Crow: Yeah. I'm okay. 9:20:05 PM Crow: It wasn't really her. Or actually anything like her. 9:20:12 PM Crow: She was super weird, but not like that. 9:25:00 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Huh. Well. I guess we won. 9:25:14 PM Iskandar: Jasper: ... I kind of want to hit my books, though. 9:25:39 PM Crow: What books? Do you have a Kindle or something? 9:26:28 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Well yes. But I want to check out my library. Most ancient grimoires haven't been converted to pdf yet. 9:27:21 PM Crow: Where is your library? 9:28:29 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Back in Chicago. 9:30:19 PM Crow: Man, I hope Felix likes driving. 9:31:11 PM Iskandar: Jasper: No worries. We have to return to base every now and then. Though it's less of a base and more of a warehouse. 9:37:42 PM Crow: Aww. No champagne and caviar? 9:39:16 PM Iskandar: Jasper: ... you like caviar? 9:40:03 PM Crow: Nope! 9:40:11 PM Crow: I like the idea of caviar, though. 9:40:31 PM Iskandar: Jasper: The idea? 9:40:57 PM Crow: Rich people food! 9:44:22 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Rich people tend to eat the garbage parts of the animal, don't they. 9:44:38 PM Crow: Any parts that are hard to get, like goose livers. 9:50:15 PM Iskandar: You walk back to the RV! 9:51:50 PM Crow: Which also sound gross. 9:52:02 PM Crow: If you've got cheese in a can, though, I'm your man. 9:53:56 PM Iskandar: Jasper: You're welcome to it, i think. 9:55:06 PM Crow: You like fancy stuff, like goat cheese? 9:56:39 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Well, I'm lactose intolerant. 9:57:49 PM Crow: Oh man, I think I would actually literally die. 10:05:20 PM Crow: Do you just, like... take pills for it? 10:12:18 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Sure. It's not serious, really. 10:14:11 PM Crow: Well that's good anyway. 10:15:03 PM Iskandar: You head back into the RV. 10:15:08 PM Iskandar: Felix: We set to leave? 10:16:49 PM Crow: Yeah, but I need someone to give me a backrub and brush my hair and lie nice things. 10:17:30 PM Iskandar: Felix: Ruby's on that. 10:17:49 PM Crow: Okay! 10:18:04 PM Iskandar: Ruby comes out of the bathroom. "What now?" 10:20:10 PM Crow: I need some babying. 10:21:24 PM Iskandar: Jasper: Head to Chicago, Felix. I want to do some proper research. Which means books, not internet. 10:21:42 PM Iskandar: Felix: All right. We could stand to reprovision anyway. And we used all the rockets I had. 10:23:10 PM Crow: Yikes. 10:24:35 PM Iskandar: Felix: Right? What if we need more rockets? 10:24:49 PM Iskandar: Ruby: ... this is the first time we've ever needed rockets. 10:26:51 PM Crow: We do need more rockets. 10:27:25 PM Iskandar: Felix: To Chicago! 10:27:37 PM Iskandar: Jasper: I'm pretty exhausted, I'm going to get some sleep. 10:28:16 PM Crow: Okay! 10:31:38 PM Iskandar: Jasper goes off to his little bed in its little cubby. 10:32:35 PM Crow: Crow pouncehugs Ruby. 10:32:54 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Whoa. What was that for? 10:33:44 PM Crow: Nothing, I just needed a hug. 10:33:51 PM Crow: Also you're awesome. 10:34:25 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Oh! Well, thanks. 10:37:21 PM Crow: You and Felix saved me! Also Jasper. 10:37:46 PM Iskandar: Ruby: Did we? You were just seeing things. happens to everyone. 10:41:45 PM Crow: Crow snuggles her a bit. 10:44:37 PM Iskandar: Felix starts driving! 10:44:43 PM Iskandar: Aww. Ruby lets you!